39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SARK Juice for Writers, August 13, 2008
This review is from: Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper: Gifting the World with Your Words and Stories, and Creating the Time and Energy to Actually Do It (Paperback)
SARK, poster child for Coloring Outside the Lines and succulence, has scored another hit, and this time she squirts her juiciness directly into the souls of life story writers. The lengthy subtitle of her fifteenth volume, Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper, is "Gifting the world with your words and stories and creating the time and energy to actually do it." In her inimitable style, words flow from her juicy pens in every color of the rainbow, enhanced with her trademark doodles and fillips.
Throughout the book, words tumble forth like frolicking children, That's how SARK is. Bubbly, Exuberant. Colorful and juicy. She makes readers believe anything is possible, because she has done the seemingly impossible herself. Like her other books, this one sounds like it's written by the nicest, most lovable cheerleader you could ever hope to meet. I felt like a kindergarten kid standing at a painting easel as I read, and although I've already written stacks and piles of stories and a growing list of books, she inspires me to write more, to keep "moving my tools," and trying new ways of writing.
Beneath the exuberant veneer, the book contains solid, useful advice, helping the timid get those tools moving through first drafts. She gives instructions for teaching friends and family how to be helpful. She explains how to fit writing into over-crowded schedules. She convinces us we do dare write about that! She explores ways of making our writing real and going deeper. She includes project management tips and oodles of writing prompts.
Although this is not specifically a workbook, she includes space to do some of the exercises she recommends, and peppers the pages with inspirational quotes. At the end of the book she includes interviews with five other writers, each with a uniquely visual style of writing. She tells how she produces her own books and fills eight pages with resources for writers including self-publishing sites, writing tips, inspiration, and supplies. She also lists writers' organizations, retreats, music for writers, and thirty-three recommended books.
It is worth noting that while SARK's wildly colorful, handwritten pages excite and inspire most people, some find their busy-ness overstimulating, even hard to read.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
disappointed, October 18, 2008
This review is from: Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper: Gifting the World with Your Words and Stories, and Creating the Time and Energy to Actually Do It (Paperback)
I have to start by saying that I have followed SARK since the first book came out. I even joined some Bodacious Wild Succulent groups. Much of what SARK wrote was inspiring and opened the windows to new awareness.
However, this book? I was so excited especially since I just finished Bird by Bird and wanted more books about writing. SARK's book was definitely fun to look at BUT it was empty and laid flat. 3/4s of the book is an introduction to the book with no real meat. The best of the book was the last couple of pages about the other creators and what inspires them and the links to different website. The activities were kind of fun but not very different from any other book that offers the same.
I then decided, which I never do because I LOVE books, to give it to a friend. Well, this friend is colorblind and couldn't even read many of the sentences. I will give it to the book drive so I can feel that the 15 bucks was worth it.
I am so sorry. I love SARK and all she has done for people and how she has opened the world of play, but this book didn't cut it. It's the first time I didn't dog-ear pages to remember quotes or ideas.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Invited and Welcomed into the Loving World of SARK, August 19, 2008
This review is from: Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper: Gifting the World with Your Words and Stories, and Creating the Time and Energy to Actually Do It (Paperback)
The journey of a writer needs and benefits from this book of SARK's...haha...at least MY journey does. SARK's unique and colorful pages reflect and remind that she courageously did it "her way" and she's been inspiring and delighting readers, artists and writers AND HUMANS for many years with sharing her dark corners and bright joy as she learns. With this book, she oh-so generously and gently invites and welcomes me to ponder, to practice, to tweak and to try. She reminds me that my writing is first of all for me. This is a highly practical learning book with rich resources, tools for your chest and en-couragement for your spirit. Thank you, dear SARK, for being here.
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